Posted on 07/03/2002 8:07:29 AM PDT by cogitator
U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions Decline
WASHINGTON, DC, July 2, 2002 (ENS) - Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the U.S. energy sector declined by 1.1 percent in 2001, the first such decline since 1991, according to preliminary estimates released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Emissions decreased from 1,558 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCe) in 2000 to 1,540 MMTCe in 2001, reported the EIA, the independent statistical and analytic agency of the Department of Energy.
Energy related CO2 emissions in the U.S. have averaged 1.2 percent annual growth since 1990. Last year's decline can be attributed in part to a reduction in economic growth from 4.1 percent in 2000 to 1.2 percent in 2001, the EIA said.
Other contributing factors include a 4.4 percent reduction in manufacturing output that lowered industrial emissions; warmer winter weather that decreased the demand for heating fuels; and a drop in electricity demand and coal fired power generation that reduced emissions growth from electricity generation.
Because energy related CO2 emissions account for 81 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, they are a good indicator of the level of, and rate of change in, total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, the EIA reports.
U.S. energy related CO2 emissions per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - also known as carbon intensity - fell from 169 metric tons per million 1996 constant dollars of GDP (MTCe/$Million GDP) in 2000 to 165 MTCe/$Million GDP in 2001.
Between 1990 and 2000, U.S. carbon intensity fell by 16.2 percent. Over the same time period, total greenhouse gas intensity, or total greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP, declined by 18.4 percent.
The EIA said its preliminary data show that:
- Residential sector emissions grew by 1.8 percent, as increased housing starts were tempered by warmer weather.
- Commercial sector CO2 emissions increased by 6.2 percent due to increased commercial development.
- Industrial sector CO2 emissions fell by 9.1 percent, as industrial production and manufacturing activity were down.
- Transportation sector CO2 emissions increased by 0.6 percent in 2001 as stronger growth early in the year was offset by declines in the fourth quarter.
Looking at the data by type of fuel showed that petroleum related CO2 emissions increased by 1.3 percent in 2001, while coal related CO2 emissions fell by 1.9 percent. Natural gas related CO2 emissions decreased by 4.6 percent.
The EIA will continue to refine its estimates of 2001 CO2 emissions as more complete energy data become available. A full inventory of 2001 emissions of all greenhouse gases will be available in October using revised energy data and providing a further analysis of trends.
The preliminary estimates are available at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/flash/flash.html
It's a not particularly vicious cycle.
We are being held up of $10 on each auto registration rather than the $4 for the Clean Air bs?
Bet you wont hear than on CNN!
I would just like to hear your opinion.
I continue to consume renewable resources here on the Kenai Peninsula. I'm smoking a big load of red salmon right now.
Less hot air.
With all of the wildfires we've had in the west recently, would you expect these carbon dioxide emissions to show an increase in coming months, considering destruction of the oxygen generating trees in wildfires and the massive amount of carbon dioxide generated by the rapid oxidation in these fires?
I'm certainly not an expert here, but the link above appears to indicate that fires can affect CO2 concentrations. The thing is, from what I've seen, the relatively unnoticed fires in your bailiwick -- Alaska -- and Siberia DWARF the fires in the southwestern US.
Check this out:
Every one of those red dots is a fire.
IMHO this is a massive ammount of change from a carbon dioxide scrubbing forest to a carbon dioxide producing fire.
Do we have any idea how many taxpayer dollars are spent in a fiscal year on these studies? I'd like to see an audit of these studies.
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